Its Complicated
by Silverlinks
Summary: After the giants were defeated. Leo decides to take a vacation from reality and go to high school. He stays with a normal family and attends a normal school. But when he runs into Echo who apparently hasn't returned back to the underworld, things get dangerous. Places get destroyed, romance hits, traps are set, mortal enemies are made and, oh yeah, death strikes. T just to be safe.
1. Intro

I thought my life was complicated when I discovered I was a half-blood, and even worse when I discovered I was a human torch. Talk about conversation killer when you finally talk to your crush, then have your hair spontaneously bursts into flames and set off the sprinkler system. We weren't able to use the science lab for weeks after (due to a freak acid spill in the commotion to get out of the rain). But hey, I guess it's not all that bad. I did after all ruin the entire class room homework assignment the teacher happened to be passing out at the time.

But I was still wrong. I now found myself in the most unique and insanely complicated relationship of my entire life. True it's the only relationship I ever had but still. I finally found someone that I loved and who loved me back and I let her slip away from me. Before I knew it she was gone. Literally, I lost her in Wal-Mart.

You see, the girl I'm dating is quite unique. I'm sure lots of boyfriends say that about their girlfriends but I can assure you, mine tops them all. Her name is Echo; she's technically dead, slightly transparent, and my biggest secret. Oh and she has to repeat the last thing she hears, but that's just a minor detail.

"Echo!" I called running down the girls section of clothing figuring that I might find her there. I tried my best not to panic, I had exactly 10 minutes to find her or I was totally screwed. "Echo, answer me please!"

"Hey."

I turned around to find a slightly large, African American woman. She had one hand on the cart and the other on a T-shirt she must have been looking at. All I could think was: Crap, I found someone else called Echo. What kind of bad luck is that?

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked.

I was taken aback. "Uh, What?" I asked stupidly.

"Does this look like a cave to you?" She asked.

I didn't answer.

"Then don't expect it to talk back to you, son. Got that?"

Oh, echo as in echo. It finally clicked. "Right." I say "Yes ma'am, sorry about that."

She nodded and continued shopping, muttering about how video games melts the brain. I turned around and walked away trying to shrug off that embarrassing moment.

"Echo." I whispered I moved down into the food section. "Echo." I whispered again. "Where are you?"

"where are you!?" A voice repeated in excited relief.

Without thinking I turned immediately towards her voice and almost ran right into a post.

"Echo?" I called again, maneuvering around the post.

"Echo." She repeated putting her hand on my shoulder.

All of a sudden I could see her outline, then her.

I grabbed her and gave her a hug. "I thought I was never going to find you."

She hugged me back "never going to find you." She repeated, her voice showing that she was worried too.

This hug must have appeared as extremely weird to the mortals walking past due to her being completely invisible to them. But I wasn't too worried. I made sure I was lined up just right that I appeared to be hugging the pole instead of nothing, because that's always more sane looking.

I let her go. "We better get going, and fast."

"fast." Echo agreed.

I ran down main hall of Wal-Mart, dodging in and out of people with Echo holding tight on to my arm. We made it out into the parking lot when Echo stop pulling me back. I turned towards her, puzzled. "What's wrong?" I whispered.

"Wrong." Said Echo. Her tone seemed scared and tense.

The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood up. A shiver ran down my back. I looked over my shoulder to where she was looking. My heart dropped. "He's here." I breathed

"Here." She whimpered.


	2. Big Plans

I don't know why I wanted to go back to school. Maybe because I wanted to pretend my life was normal? Maybe because after my mom died I've never been in one place for very long and I couldn't just break such a fabulous record now? Oh, or maybe it might be because of all those great life and death situations I've had. Well, for whatever reason I convinced Chiron to sign me up for a foreign exchange student program.

Now don't freak out on me just yet. I'm crazy, but not that crazy. I'm going to pretend that I am from Mexico and I will be swapping with a son of Apollo down in Utah, who doesn't yet know who he is. His over protective parents hate pointy things, and they refuse to believe that the gods are real. So plan is to trick his parents into thinking he's in a exchange program and take him to camp so he can get training before the monsters find him. It's really the best plan ever! I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

I found myself on the next flight out to Salt Lake City, Utah. My stomach fluttered nervously. I've only been there once on a quest to Rome. We had stopped there to get some supplies for The Argo II. On the way there Hazel and I ran into Nemesis, Narcissus, Narcissus fan club and a girl named Echo. The memory of Echo always made me feel guilty for some reason. I promised myself that I wouldn't forget her face, but I did. Then I left her to be stuck with a guy that would never even look at her. The memory left a bitter taste in my mouth. I could only hope that this experience in Salt Lake would be better than the last.

I just about slept the whole trip out of fear I would have lost my mind because boredom if I hadn't. When we landed I unfortunately was still in a deep sleep and the little kid sitting next to me and by his mom thought it would be a great idea to wake me by inserting as many cookies's down my open mouth as he could while his mom was distracted. He must have reached about eight cookies before I gagged and woke up. As I pulled the cookies out of my mouth I got the strangest impression that this wasn't going to be a normal experience in Utah.

I walked out of the airport door pulling along my suitcase. It was raining like crazy outside. The wind was blowing hard, nearly making my curly hair stand straight up when I walked out. I shivered and pulled my cargo jacket tighter around me.

"Leo?" A woman asked fifteen feet to the left me. "Leo Valdez?"

I turned to see a lady in her thirties dressed in a sky blue jogging outfit and running shoes. She had long blond hair pulled back into a ponytail with a umbrella held up to keep the rain off her.

"Yes," I said "that's me."

She walked towards me and I got nervous. Usually when you're a half-blood and you see a stranger walking towards, you the last thing you should do is stay put. But instead I just kept my hand by my tool belt and I forced myself to stay still.

"My name is Miss Summers." She said reaching me, then extending her hand for me to shake. "I will be staying with you while your in the exchange program.

Summers. Yeah, that's the last name Chiron told me. I took her hand and shook it.

"It's nice to meet you." I said.

"It' nice to meet you too." She said. "If you follow me to my car I will introduce you to the rest of my family."

"Cool." I said.

A family, I thought. Man this is going to be great.

Miss Summers glanced down at my tool belt with a slightly puzzled look. But almost immediately she remembered I was watching her and she looked back up at me and smiled before she turned around to lead me to her car.

Almost everyone does that. Stares at my belt then looks at me and pretends that they never noticed it. Either that or they call me a freak, but I didn't mind. I'm a freak with a bad sense of fashion and I'm proud.

Soon Miss Summers stopped at a large white van with stickers of flowers, balls, transformers and cookies decorating the sliding door. I looked back at the soccer mom.

She smiled at me. "Here let me take your suit case and put it in the truck while you climb inside."

I gave her my bag, then nervously, I opened the sliding door.

"ELMO!" a Three year old little boy screamed pointing at me.

"No." The seven year old girl argued to her brother. "It's Leo. Le-o"

"Elm-o!" The little boy insisted.

I climbed into the van closing the door behind me.

"Sorry buddy." I said to the three year old. "I'm not as cool as Elmo."

"Elmo." The little boy pouted sticking out his bottom lip.

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I'll tell you what. If you're really good I will show you a secret trick I can do."

"Elmo." He whispered back to me.

"Here," I held out my finger. "Watch this."

The seven year old peered over her brother shoulder to see what was going to happen. All of a sudden the tip of my pointer finger lit on fire. The little girls mouth dropped open, the boys eyes widened.

The mom got back in the car and started it up. I extinguished the flame and put my finger to my lips reminding them to stay quite about my trick.

"Wow." Miss Summers said. "My kids have never been so quiet before. I thought for sure having you here was just going to make them hyper."

"Really?" I asked. "I can't imagine them being hyper."

She smiled in the review mirror. "Enjoy it while you can." She teased. "Oh, and by the way. The little ones Ricky and the older one is Lucy."

I looked back at Rick and Lucy. They were both staring at me in awe. I smiled "I'm sure we're going to get along great."

We were half way to their house when we caught a red light. I looked out the window. The rain slowed to a drizzle. A girl was out walking her dog. I would have normally thought nothing of it until she bumped into thin air and the dog started barking. I sat up straighter and squinted my eyes. Something shimmered on the side walk and I thought I caught a glimpse of a… girl?

My heart skipped a beat. That's impossible. She's gone, at least, she was suppose to be. But she moved again and she shimmered into appearance. It was her. My heart pounded against my chest. I grabbed the door handle and tried to pull the door open but it was on child lock. The light turned green and the car started to move.

"No." I muttered staring at the spot where she had appeared until I couldn't see it anymore. "No."


	3. I make a dangerous choice

"So this is it." Miss. Summers said flicking on the light.

The guest room was on the second floor, it was small and colored with dark green paint. There was a window in the back, a bed, a dresser and a closet in the front. I loved the place. Is been forever sense the last time had a place of my own.

"Thanks," I said. "This is perfect!"

She smiled "Make yourself at home. Tomorrow will be your first day of your senior year so enjoy the last few hours while you can."

"Okay, thanks again." I said

She nodded then closed my door to let me get unpacked.

I unzipped my suit case and started putting things into my dresser. When in the corner of my eye, I noticed a backpack underneath the window with a note on top of it that read:

"Leo, knowing you we're going to arrive here just before you start school we already went ahead and bought you some school supplies. In the smallest pocket you will find your school schedule. Hope you enjoy your time here.

Mr. and Miss. Summers."

I looked outside the window. It was getting dark outside and the wind was blowing, swaying the tree next to the house. I picked up the backpack and was going to move it onto my bed when I saw something. There was flicker outside my window. I leaned in and squinted to see what it might have been. My heart pounded in my chest. I dropped the backpack and pulled it open, climbing outside onto the roof. I inched my way down the roof until I got to the edge.

"Echo?" I called "Is that you?"

"Is that you?" A girl's voice repeated back to me.

"Holy Hephaestus! Echo?" I couldn't believe she was still alive. Death should have taken her back to the underworld by now.

"Echo." She said happily.

"How did you follow me from the airport?" I asked.

"follow me from the air port." She said sourly. Clearly that's not what she wanted to say.

I jumped off the roof onto the nearby tree branch, then worked my way down to the ground.

"how did you escaped death?" I asked looking around trying to spot her.

"escaped death." She repeated. Her voice came from five feet in front of me.

I frowned, talking to a walk would be just as helpful when it came to information. How was I suppose to communicate with her? She can only say what I said last.

The gears in my head started tuning. I need to talk in a way so she can have options on what to say. I thought that hard for a minute.

"Um, you did not have a magical way to hide from him?" I asked.

"Did not have a magical way to hide from him." She repeated back.

I thought about another question. "Not a curse?" I asked again.

"curse." Echo confirmed.

I smiled. So as long as I talk pessimistically she can repeat positively or not. So cool!

"Well, I'm really glad you aren't dead." I said. Yes this is as good as my flirting skills get. Can you even call that flirting?

"Glad you aren't dead." Echo said back, her tone actually sounding like she meant it.

Embarrassingly enough my heart warmed by the way she said it. She actually cared? The wind blew and she shifted her wait to the other foot, bringing her into appearance again. She was wet, shivering and stiff, but still she smiled. Then, she disappeared again. Next thing I knew she was right next to me rapping her arm around mine as she shivered.

Whoa! A girl's touching me? This isn't normal. Maybe she's dying?

I immediately took of my jacket and put it over her shoulders. She pulled it close around her and I watched as it disappeared where she stood.

"Don't you want to come inside?" I asked, being careful to add 'don't in the sentence to make sure she had a option to choose from.

"Want to come inside." She confirmed

I lead her up the tree and into my new room by using the window I came out of. I realize only too late how awkward this was going to be. Here I was finally way from Camp, Monster, Gods and, Demi-gods with a chance at a new start. And now I had just let in a character from one of the main Greek 'myths' into my bedroom. Not to mention the amazing fact that she's a girl. Not technically a living one, but still, that's some major progress.

I sat on my bed as I watched Echo check out the place. Occasionally I could see glimpses of movement as Echo walked but that was about it. It kind of unnerved me to know someone else was with me that I couldn't see.

I could already picture me falling asleep and Echo deciding to get a drink of water when Miss. Summers walks in to see objects vanishing as echo touched them, having equipment turn on with no apparent reason and having he copy everything she said including her screams.

Having Echo come into my room, then soon into my life, was a big risk. A bigger risk then I ever could have imagined.


	4. The Tracker

My alarm went off next to my bed. I jerked up right still in sleepy fog. It was still dark out, and my alarm was showing 5:50. I reached over and turned it off, then flopped back down on my bed. "I'm too tired to get up." I muttered allowed to my alarm clock.

"Too tired to get up." The hairs on the back of my neck stood up like lightning was about to strike. I jumped out of my bed, tripping over my tangled blankets as I did, and face planted it onto my fuzzy carpet. It was only then, as I was kissing the ground, that I remembered what had happened last night. I let Echo into my house, I was watching her then… I must have fallen asleep. I felt my clothes realizing they were the same ones from last night. I got back up. Reaching into my tool belt in case it wasn't her.

"Echo?" I called

"Echo." Echo said back.

I was almost relived to hear her answer back. Almost.

It seemed to be every night that a cow would come in and give me a new hair due with its tongue. That's why every morning I would wet down my hair before I brushed my teeth in the morning. Mostly out of fear that the mirror above the sink would break again and give me seven more years of bad luck.

I reached up and tried to flatten my hair down. Thanking the Apollo that it was still dark outside.

"Uh echo, I have to go to school." I said worried about what she was going to do when I was gone. I don't want her to leave. She didn't have anywhere to go, but I also didn't want the Summers family discovering her.

"have to go to school." She echoed.

I reached in my tool belt and pulled out ear plugs and ear muffs that I would use when working with extra loud tools or machines at camp. I set them on the dresser. "I'm putting ear plugs and ear muffs on the dresser, if you want to stay you can use them so you can sneak around without having to repeat everything."

"Without having to repeat everything?" Echo asked wishfully.

I could feel her staring at the ear plugs and ear muffs. I smiled and nodded towards her voice so she wouldn't repeat the obvious answer 'yes'.

I reached into my dresser and grabbed some new clothes to change into and a tracking bracelet. I originally made it for Buford because he would always wonder off when I needed him most.

"I also got you some jewelry as a gift." I said turning to where I thought she was.

"Jewelry as a gift." She said surprisingly close to me.

I stretched out my hand even though I saw nothing there, and I touched what felt like her shirt. I moved my hand to the side where her arm was then down her really soft skin until I reached her whist. I put the bracelet on and tightened it in place. A flake stone glowed on top, and then the whole bracelet disappeared. I stood there for a minute holding her hand…. Thinking about how real she felt and wishing I could see her. Then I realized what I was doing. I blushed and let go of her hand.

"Um, I'm going to change now." I said grabbing my clothes and backing up, my mind still think about echo.

"change now." she agreed.

I nodded, turned around and almost ran into my door. I bit my lip embarrassed. I opened the door and closed it behind me.

Well done Leo, well done. I thought as I walked to the bathroom. My cheeks were burned with embarrassment, but in my case, literally. I patted out the flames with my hand. Gosh dang it, I thought to myself.

When I came back to my bedroom the door was open, the ear plugs were gone and so were the ear muffs.

"Echo?" I called into my bedroom. There was no reply.

"Leo?" Said a man's voice said from down the hall. I turned to see a man nearly six foot tall with a scruffy facial hair, black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a dark suit, tie and trench coat like he was ready to pull out a gun and flash a F.B.I badge at me.

He walked up to me. "Sorry we didn't get to meet earlier because of work and all. I'm Mr. Summers."

I was so tempted to just burst out laughing. He looked too dark and serious to have a last name of 'Summers'. But I resisted the temptation. I didn't feel like getting kicked out just yet.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Summers." I said shaking his hand.

"Nice to finally meet you too, Leo. Normally, you will take the bus to school. But I think it would be best if I take you to your first day of school if that's okay." He said, clearly not asking.

I hesitated. I couldn't tell if it was just me, or if that guy was acting suspicious. "Yeah sure," I said "I'm ready anyway, I just need my backpack."

"Alright," Said Mr. Summers "I'll be in the car."

I nodded and he walked away.

I went into my room and grabbed my backpack that was resting up agents my bed and tossed it over my shoulder. I was about to leave when I found my jacket that I had given Echo to wear the night before; folded up on the ground. I picked it up and quickly slipped it on, zipping it up a little so it could help hid my magic tool belt. Might as well try for a good first impression I thought as I picked my back up again and turned the light off to my room.

As I walked towards the car I hit the third button on my watch three times, the first button twice, then the second one once. The digital clock temporary turn off and Greek words began to run across the face where the clock should have been. The message said: "Tracker 6 miles east traveling 40 Mph". I stopped and stared at the message. And here I was thinking she just had to go to the bathroom. Maybe I really did scare her away? No, I thought, She was the only girl seemed to understand how cool I really am. There must be another reason why she left.

All I really knew was that I was going to find out, and Echo wasn't getting away from me this time. She clearly was in trouble and I needed to help.


	5. Psychos and Death

A week as passed by and I still haven't seen or helped Echo in anyway. Every day I would check to see if Echo had come back into my watches radar but it always came up as "undetected". I had made the watch only to detect the bracelet with a radius of two cities; because that's all I would need to track a table and more, but I was now regretting that choice. What happened to her?

I tried my best to keep my mind off of her. I even talked to another girl that I kind of liked… it didn't work out too well.

We now have to have science class in the school library because of class room chemical inspection and reconstruction. Why? Well, because of an acid spill and "invisible gas" that lights student's hair on fire.

First week of school and I all ready have the nick-name of "Ashes", because that's what my hair is now of, apparently.

I walked down the empty school halls ready to leave. My math teacher happened to be in LOVE planes. He had models of them hanging all around his room instead of inspiring math posters like normal teachers. Last time I had his class I asked him if he would give me extra credit and let me out of class early.

He said "Heck no."

I said "What if I could build a working model air plane that could top all yours?"

He considered the idea. "If you did all that, and If you took pictures of yourself showing you made it then gave it to me afterwards then, yes."

Now I found myself walking out of class half an hour earlier, 100 points extra credit and a very happy teacher. Sometimes being the son of Hephaestus had its perks, sometimes.

I checked my watch tracking system. The first mistake that ultimately lead for everything that could go wrong, to go wrong. My watch read in Greek: "Detected in building. Exact location found at-"

*Wack!* My head jerked to the side as a fist collided with my face. I was so surprised I stumbled and fell to the ground. Blood trickled down from my nose. I could feel my hands getting unnaturally warm after the unexpected attack.

"You broke my phone!" A voice said from above me "My girl friend broke up with me because I never reply back!"

I wiped the blood from my nose and stood back up to face the psycho who punched me, taking a deep breath to cool down my hands. "What are you talking about?" I asked the very large football player.

"You set off the sprinkler system in science class, the water broke my phone!" He spat, getting up in my face.

"Not my fault," I said calmly, holding my ground and looking right back at him. "It's not like I caught my hair on fire for fun."

"You ruined my life!" psycho said grabbing me by my jacket, lifted me up and threw me against the wall.

I grunted as I made impact with the brick, the air leaving my lungs and I tumbled down to my hands and knees.

Can't hurt him, I thought to myself as I tried to get air back in me, with my luck I will be suspended.

I reached into my tool belt and pulled out a tin box, then waited until I could speak again. "honestly it sounds like your girlfriend was just looking for a excuse to leave you, maybe if you tried some mints and apologized for your bad breath…" I said showing him my tin box. "My gift to you."

He growled and smacked the mints out of my hand. As soon as that happened I immediately took my opening to sit on his foot and rap my arms and legs around his leg like a little kid.

"What is this?" He asked growled, pulling at me and trying to shake me off. Neither worked.

"Get off!" Psycho yelled, lifting up is other foot to kick me.

"Bye Dumbo!" I managed to say before I yanked on his other leg, causing him to lose balance and fall over.

I jumped up and ran for the exit. "See you tomorrow!" I called back to him.

He grunted as he stood up and ran after me. His shoes making an intimidation "boom, boom, boom" as he huge feet hit the ground. School trophies shook as he ran by… but maybe that was because they were scared for me.

I ran out into the parking lot and zig-zaged in and out, only stopping to write a quick message on dirty cars. Psycho kept on my tail rather well for a mortal. So I was forced to do what I call "the-epic-Valdez-space-hoping-tick". The moment when I was able to disappear behind a car and out of his sight I would climb into the nearest car by unlocking it with my touch. I would then wait there until he ran past the car I was in. Once he was gone I would come out the other side and relock the door. I did this move a few times just to use up his energy and to keep him confused. Once I felt he had enough, I continued to hide until he left.

I crawled out of my last car then slumped against the tire exhausted and hot from the boiling cars. Finally, peace.

And then I remembered, Echo. She was here, in My school. I reached for my watch.

"So that's it." Said a voice of to his right.

Leo shot to his feet worried Psycho had found him. Thinking back on it, he wished Psycho was his only problem. But no, what stood in fount of him was a large young African American man with jet black wings.

"Hello, Leo Valdez." Said the man. "My name is Thanatos, the god of death, and I need your help to capture a soul of mine."

"God of death?" I asked. "Why would the god of death want my help?"

"I don't necessarily want you, but if you become uncooperative I will take sever measures that you will not like." Thant's warned "Just follow my orders and we won't have a problem."

"Look, find someone else to help you," I said "I'm on vacation."

"I need you to give me your tracking device to locate my missing soul, Echo." Thanatos continued completely ignoring me. "All I need is the watch, and I will on my way."

My hands light on fire. A strong sense of protection filled my chest and the fire grew up my arm. He talked about her like we were exchanging barrowed CD's or something. Echo was way more than that and she deserved a better shot at another life.

Yeah, I thought, we are going to have a serious problem.


End file.
